Broken Faith: Spiritual Discord, 1 Page 9

  My mind swirls. My thoughts are laced with darkness of the abyss, and the impossible task of helping Kayson. I can feel my body start to itch with the need to run. But how far would I make it? Even if I did make it out of Utah, they could still find me. They would have my scent. But I couldn’t just give up; I have to keep fighting for my life and for Kayson’s. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I could live with myself knowing I left him behind to the very fate I face.

  “I’m not leaving you. We still have a chance.”

  “How?”

  Kayson’s voice echoes his hopelessness. He’s already given up.

  “Hey, as long as we are still breathing, we still have a chance. If you quit, then you’re quitting on me too.”

  Kayson eyebrows draw together as he looks up at me. What is he thinking, I’m crazy? Well, in situations like this, you can’t afford not to be crazy.

  Kayson’s face relaxes as a small smile escapes over his face. “You don’t have to breathe.”

  Cocking my head to the side, I roll my eyes. “It was a figure of speech.”

  Kayson chuckles, “I know.” He looks around the shed as if searching for something. “But what do you propose we do? I lost my sword in the forest, and I can barely move. How do you expect me to fight two hell hounds?”

  I begin searching through the corner of the shed, where a few garden tools are propped against the wall. I rummage through the pile and find a shovel, rack, and gardening hoe. None of those will cause extreme damage to the hounds, especially if they shift into the giant beast hiding beneath the human skin.

  “Here, use this.” I grab the shovel with the metal handle and break it off. The metal strains under my pressure for a moment before snapping. I then take the jagged end and bend it inward until a sharp point is made. “This should work.” I also grab a ball-peen hammer off the peg on the wall. “With enough force, this will give them a good whop.”

  Kayson takes the tools and looks them over. “What about you?”

  With a sly smile, I pull out the machete I found hidden amongst the rubble. “With this and my speed, I’ll be unstoppable,” I say, with more confidence than I feel.

  “I don’t know about this, Sabrina. The hounds are ferocious. I don’t know if one drop of my blood will be enough for you to bring them down.”

  “We’re going to have to try.” I walk back over to the peephole to see what the opponents are up to, but from this view I can’t see much. I wonder whose house they have infiltrated to stand watch and discuss how to handle the situation they think they have discovered. I’m sure those nose devils followed my trail from where I found Kayson all the way to this shed. No matter how many times I left this spot, my trail always ended up right back here. I should have thought about that before. But what could I have done?

  “I don’t see anything.”

  Kayson shifts, crumpling the quilt as he does. “Stay alert. When they’re on the hunt, they move fast.”

  I keep my eye trained on the two yards, watching for either hound to show their faces again, whether it’s the human ones they wear, or the demonic visage out for blood. But all remains quiet. I can only hear the sound of a few autumn leaves as they fall through the night air and come to rest on the ground below.

  That eerie silence is shattered by heavy footsteps. A man—a hell hound— with a massive build and eyes that gleam in the night, and the stench they all carry no matter what form they’re in, walks across the yard. My nostrils flare as his stink filters in through the cracks, permeating the air with a thick warning of death.

  He walks up the pathway to reach the porch. “Kayson, he’s going into the house.”

  Loud rustling echoes through the quiet shed as Kayson moves around. I peer over my shoulder to see what he’s doing. He stands with the help of the newly-made metal stake as a cane. He limps his way over to take a look.

  Kayson’s body becomes stiff as he looks out the little hole, causing him to stumble back off balance. I instinctively reach out to catch him and when I do, he falls into my arms, bringing our bodies close together. I feel the warmth emanating from his chest, which rises and falls with fear as he looks at me with those incredible blue eyes of his. I break our strangely awkward stare by pushing him back upright, allowing him to get his bearings again.

  “What is it, Kayson? Who is that?”

  “Falon, leader of the hounds.”

  “I thought the hound’s leader is Lucifer? He is the one who created them.”

  “Lucifer appointed an alpha hound to watch over the hounds, and to keep them in line on earth.” I’m not surprised that Kayson knows more about the hounds than I do. He spent his life watching and learning how to outsmart and evade Lucifer’s prized creatures. I spent my life running from them. It’s not like I was going to stop and have a little chat with one just to better understand them. If they are hell bent on killing me, I could care less.

  “Okay, so what makes Falon a bigger threat than the others?” I’m guessing that if he was appointed Alpha that means he’s more ruthless than the others, but was he given more powers and control compared to the other hounds. Why else would Kayson look so pale?

  “Falon has the same pitiless demeanor and power as the rest of the hounds. The difference is, he knows how to control them and not play around, like most hounds tend to do. They like taunting their prey right before they kill them. Falon won’t. He will stop at nothing to find and kill his prey as fast as he can. He knows that a slip up can give the opponent an opening for escape.” Kayson swallows hard; the loud sound of his muscles working hard is audible and visible. “He was also a Warrior.”

  I gasp. When Kayson had been explaining the realms and Assemblies to Emma, he had mentioned the Warriors. A Warrior was stationed to protect each assembly in the lower realm of Heaven.

  “Wait, what? He was a Warrior?”

  I know he already said it but it seems impossible. Kayson nods his head in answer. This is not a positive development.

  “How did he become a hound?”

  “All fallen angels choose one path or another. They can try to work their way back into Heaven by redeeming themselves, or they can seek out Lucifer and join his side. Lucifer finds other jobs in his different realms for the fallen angels that seek him out, but Falon is the only one who has been given the honor of being a hell hound.” Kayson looks at the floor ashamed. “I even thought about seeking Lucifer out, but I couldn’t bring myself to.”

  I grab Kayson’s free hand and will him to look at me. “The point is, you didn’t. You stayed true to God, right?”

  “Yes, but it isn’t enough. I can’t let go of the reason I fell.” Kayson’s head still hangs low but he looks up at me through his lashes.

  In a soft whisper, I ask him once again, “Why did you fall?”

  Kayson continues to look at me through his thick dark eyelashes for a moment, almost like he’s considering to tell me, before jerking his hand away. “We have more important things to worry about than my insignificant story.” Kayson turns from me and looks back out the hole.

  Hurt shoots through me at Kayson’s refusal to share what happened. Shaking away that hurt for now, I focus back on Falon and the threat he represents.

  “How did Falon become a hell hound if he’s not made from Lucifer’s blood?”

  Still looking out the tiny hole, Kayson answers. “When fallen angels seek out Lucifer, they must sign an oath to him that they will forever be faithful to him and his cause. When Falon sought out Lucifer, he gave Falon an ultimatum. He could sign the oath and become a demon in the depths of Under or he could sign the oath and partake of his blood, which would make Falon a child of Lucifer’s. And his greatest weapon.”

  “How do you know so much about this? I thought all things that happened in Heaven or Hell were kept from each other. How would you know what Falon went through to become a hound?” The most powerful weapon in the world is knowledge and to stay in power, knowledge has to be hidden. Lucifer and God knows
this, that’s why they keep their plans hidden from one another.

  Kayson looks over his shoulder with a sad look in his eyes. “Falon was the Warrior to my assembly for hundreds of years. But as time continued to expand, he started to grow restless with God’s command not to kill the blood children. You see, God commanded the Warriors not to kill the blood children, but rather to ward them away from humans and angels. A few have died by a Warriors hand, but only if there is no other option other than death to protect an angel. God wants no blood shed on his hands on any side. That is why he cast Lucifer into Hell to begin with, instead of killing him. Of course, Falon thought the command was foolish. He wanted to rid the earth of their taint, rather than simply threatening the blood children. That restlessness led him into questioning God and arguing against him, which led to his fall. I fell not too long after him.

  “Falon instantly sought out Lucifer and once the oath was made, he contacted me. He sent me a message describing his new transformation, and pleading with me to join him. My anger at being cast away had me thinking about joining him for a fleeting moment, but as you can see I refused him.”

  The need to know why Kayson fell sits heavy on my mind as he finishes his story. But I know better than to ask.

  I place my hand on Kayson’s arm. “I’m glad you refused.”

  Kayson smiles at me with warmth. “So am I.”

  Chapter Ten

  Emma

  My heart hammers as I walk toward the door. Every step I take brings me closer to the threat I feel lurking behind the door. My body screams at me to turn away and run, but I don’t. What if I’m just being paranoid? I am still shaken and confused about what happened this afternoon.

  When I open the door, a strangely comfortable feeling blocks the fear I felt a moment ago. This new sense of calm startles me. Somehow I know it has to be coming from the person before me. Standing in the threshold is a very tall, broad-shouldered, handsome man who’s trying way too hard to project friendly. I would say he is in his mid-twenties, with black hair and deep, dark eyes outlined with eyelashes any girl would want to have. His smile only makes him more attractive, but past all the beauty and kind smile there is a sense of danger that exudes from him.

  “Hello, my name is Falon. May I come in?” His accent is thick and nice, although I can’t quite place where he is from.

  Taking a step to block the doorway, I cross my arms over my chest for comfort and to put up a front of fearlessness, which is exactly what it is: a front.

  “Can I help you?” I’m not offering up my name. I have no clue who this gorgeous, unearthly man is, but with looks aside, something doesn’t feel right.

  “Maybe you can,” he answers, without hesitating. “I’m looking for a friend of mine who got lost in the woods. Have you seen anything suspicious?” My breath catches at the mention of his missing “friend.” Is this guy one of the hell hounds Kayson was talking about?

  I try to keep my cool as I throw a question back at him to see if he slips. “Why would he look suspicious? Wouldn’t he just ask for help or to use the phone?”

  Falon has an easy smile that would knock any girl off her feet, but I’m able to avoid being drawn in. I think the fear coursing through my body, even though it’s slight and mixed with a false sense of safety, has a little to do with that.

  “Maybe suspicious was a poor choice of words. He would probably look like he needs help, considering we lost him a day ago after hiking in the rough terrain of the forest for so long.”

  Looking at this man’s attire, I’m no fool. His crisp, clean, tan leather jacket matches perfectly against his suede shirt and loose-fitting jeans. I’m sure no hiker in search of his dear lost friend would dress up that nice for a search party. If I had lost one of my friends in the woods, I would look just as haggard as they did by the time I found him or her. This guy isn’t fooling me for a second.

  “I haven’t seen anyone like that. What does he look like?” My question seems to throw Falon off his game. His smile loses its strength of emitting friendliness and turns more guarded.

  Before Falon can respond with some lame attempts at description or avoidance of the subject, Briston walks up behind me. “Is everything okay?”

  Falon’s arrogant smile returns. “Yes, I’m just looking for a friend of mine.” Falon turns that smile back to me. “If you do hear or see anything, I will be staying in town for a few days. I’m sure you’ll see me around.”

  Could that warning be any clearer?

  Falon backs up, keeping his eyes on me until he reaches the top of the stairs. With one final cut of the eyes, he turns and walks down the path. I slam the door in response and briskly walk back to the recliner.

  My hands tremble as I bring them up to my face. What am I going to do now? It’s quite obvious that Kayson was telling the truth. I could feel the menace and hate pouring from Falon. I also saw the gleam in his eyes as he took a deep breath, no doubt getting a taste of my own fear. Never have I encountered someone so scary. Kayson and Sabrina’s warnings were clear. If they didn’t leave, Heaven and Hell are going to have a spiritual discord right in my backyard.

  “Emma, what’s going on? Who was that?” Briston kneels down in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Your hands are shaking like crazy.”

  With no lie ready on my tongue, I knock Briston on his backside as I stand. “What the crap Em?” he says in response to the shove.

  I pace back and forth in the living room, not sure what to say. At this point, Briston’s not going to believe any sordid story I might come up with. The only option is to tell him exactly what I was told. But how? I follow the best advice that Braylee has ever given me, I go with it.

  “That…” I come to an abrupt stop and point to the door, “…was a hell hound. Out in my backyard is a fallen angel and a vampire. And big surprise, they don’t like each other.” My voice is panicky as I gesture from one end of the house to the other. “That hell hound was here to kill the angel, and now—”

  Briston cuts me off as he stands and grabs my arms. “Calm down, just calm down. Breathe Emma.” Briston takes an oversized breath and slowly releases it to emphasize his point. When I mimic him, trying to relax, he has the gall to start laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” I pull back away from him, appalled. I don’t think this calls for laughter. I’m thinking more along the lines of guns and animal control.

  “Are you kidding me? All that stuff, Emma. Angels, hell hounds, and a vampire, major props for that one. Seriously though, who was that? An ex you don’t want to talk about?” Briston’s face gets all serious. “Is he a stalker? If he is, I’ll take care of the problem right now.” Briston starts walking toward the door but I stop him.

  “B, listen to me. I’m telling you the truth. You know when I’m telling the truth.” I silently plea with Briston to remember how well he knows me. “Do I sound like I’m lying?”

  Briston bites his lip as he thinks about. His expression goes from relaxed to confused as he realizes I’m not lying. Then just like humans do, he comes up with an explanation rather than accept what should be unacceptable.

  “What are you doing, taking acting for dummies? Don’t tell me you joined the drama club.”

  I heave a sigh, “They don’t have a drama club at Provo. Why can’t you just believe me?” My question comes out in defeat as I plop back down in the chair. Hearing my tone, Briston kneels down again with a sorrow filled face.

  “I’m sorry, Em, but how did you think I would react? Angels and hell hounds, that’s a lot to take in and believe.”

  “I know! How do you think I’m handling it?”

  Briston raises his eyebrows just a bit, “You really are being serious, aren’t you?”

  I nod.

  “Is that why you asked me about Heaven and Hell?”

  “Yes. I wasn’t sure what to believe or if what is in my backyard is real. Now I have confirmation that it is, since Hell just came knocking on my door.” A chill runs down my
spine as I think about that knock and the sense of calm that came over me when I opened the door. The same calm that left as soon as I shut the door.

  “Wait, did you say in the backyard?” Briston stands and starts walking toward the kitchen.

  Almost tripping over my feet, I jump up and stop him. “Where are you going?”

  “Look, Emma, you’re my best friend and I want to believe you, but some things are better accepted when they are visual.” Briston keeps trying to walk to the kitchen but I hold him off.

  “Briston, stop. I don’t want you going back there right now. God only knows where that hell hound went.” I’m sure that Falon was the hell hound Kayson mentioned. Not only did he seem dangerous but he gave himself away when he said he was looking for his friend. Oh yeah, and there was the warning that he would be around for a few days. How comforting.

  “What would it hurt, Em? I just want to see for myself.”

  In a fit that I know will only work on Briston, I collapse to the floor crying. In response, Briston sits down beside me and pulls me in a hug, like I knew he would. He’s such a softy when it comes to me and tears. Childish, yes. Is he going outside to face unearthly beings, no.

  “I just want to stay in here right now. I don’t trust that Falon guy who was at the door.” With tears dripping down my face, I look up at Briston. “Can’t we just stay inside and talk about it? I promise I will take you out there tomorrow when it’s daylight.”

  Briston runs his thumb over my cheek, wiping away the tears. He looks at the back door, torn. I know he’s curious about what threat lurks out back, but he’s also worried about me. When he brings his eye back to meet mine, I know I’ve won. “Okay, let’s just talk.” Briston helps me stand and guides me over to the couch. “Lie down.” I give Briston a pointed look, but he doesn’t respond. No smile, no teasing, just stiff patience as he waits on me to comply. That isn’t normal Briston behavior. He’s always ready to add quip responses to make me smile, no matter the situation. What’s up with him?